microsoft

Microsoft last month announced the general availability of Azure Sphere, an end-to-end connected home solution. Azure sphere, according to Microsoft is an integrated security solution for IoT (Internet of Things) devices and equipment. A solution that will form the based for the development and deployment of secure connected devices. The idea is, if connected home devices and services are developed on a secure base and supported by an active platform then the increasing risks to connected home and its occupants will be less.

According to Cisco, there will be 29.3 billion networked devices on the internet by 2023 of this amount Machine-To-Machine (M2M) connections will be 14.7 billion, that’s 50 percent share. Families having their baby monitors hacked is a constant news item. We need solutions that can make the connected home a more secure environment. Then after hearing about Microsoft’s recent general availability of Azure Sphere and knowing that we already have TR-069; I am thinking why not use the best of both to fix this problem.

Microsoft released a blog note on how Cortana services will change in the next service update. From what I understand the updates are more geared toward supporting the Office 365 platform as it relates to personal productivity. A number of experiences that we have become used to from Cortana are going. The official word is some connected home skills will no longer be available in this updated Cortana experience.

Toyota has setup a new connected solution company in partnership with Microsoft. The new collaborative partnership will offer data analytics and connected car services. Located in Plano, Texas, the data science centre will offer integrated connected car services to Toyota drivers and using cutting-edge data analytics to provide feedback into product development for Toyota at large.

Microsoft has big ideas and plans for the connected home but with most ideas you need support and partnerships to make them a reality. Since last year I have noticed that the relationship between Microsoft and Insteon has grown and Insteon it seems has become a key partner in Microsoft’s connected home strategy, something they have been working on for some time.

With the release of it first fitness wearable Microsoft connected home partner Insteon is working with developers to take the Microsoft Band into the connected home. Insteon announced last week at the Build conference that developers can now use the Insteon’s RESTful API to create home automation apps that use the Microsoft Band.

Microsoft Windows 10 comes out this year and Microsoft has been releasing snippets about this new operating system. They said Windows 10 will support the broadest range of devices ever – from PCs, tablets and 2-in-1s to phones to Xbox and even the Internet of Things. This week the windows blog share some of the new features of the system, so I thought I would share with you some of what I think will benefit the connected home.

One of the Achilles of the Windows platform in the connected home is the lack of support especially on the Windows phone platform. An app for the Windows phone seems to be an afterthought for connected home solutions providers. Well, this is about to change because Insteon one of the market leading home automation suppliers, has release Apps some windows based apps to manage and control Insteon devices.

There is no doubt that the connected home needs an Operating System (OS) or some agnastic software environment to manage its diverse devices and services. For the last four years the only company that shows any potential in filling this gap was Microsoft with its prototype homeOS platform. I think this is about to change with the introduction of the Alljoyn platform backed by the Allseen alliance, a new industry body promoting interoperability between devices under the concept of the “Internet of Everyt

Last year saw Microsoft sending a clear signal about their energy use, the company signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for wind energy in Texas. They have gone as far as defining their commitment to smarter energy use in their Global Public Policy Agenda. Going forward every business division within Microsoft will have to account for their energy use and their impact on the environment, even their use of air transport will be measured.